Mission

The mission of the Princeton Swing Club is to promote social swing dancing at Princeton University and in the Princeton community.

Swing is a raw, improvisational street dance that was created in the late 1920s in the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem. It evolved from the likes of foxtrot and charleston, but quickly surpassed them in popularity. Lindy Hop, as the dance came to be called, took the country by storm. Over the years, Lindy evolved into a multitude of styles that fit all sorts of music genres. Sexy slow blues and funky West Coast swing are just two examples. Lindy Hop is still quite popular; vibrant Lindy scenes exist in just about every US city and in many cities across the world.

We love swing because of its flexibility and its focus on partnering and connection. While ballroom dance moves are codified, in swing anything goes. Modern swing dancers invent moves constantly. While ballroom dancers tend to focus on what looks good, swing dancers focus on what feels good. (And if it feels good, chances are it looks good, too!) Above all, we value play and fun. A national instructor used to say, “If you don’t fall on your ass at least once a night, you haven’t tried anything cool!” (Of course, you can be silly or you can be classy – your choice!) Finally, the music is fun! At swing dances you will hear gems from the big bands of the past, legendary jazz vocalists to the more modern R&B, rock, and, if you bother DJ enough, maybe a lounge version of Baby Got Back.

We believe that anyone who can walk can dance, and strive, through our beginner lessons, to provide our club members the ability to swing dance with anyone anywhere in the world. Towards this, we teach social swing dancing and encourage our entire club to practice with everyone and get better together!